Police: Florida man upset he was late for probation meeting chokes dog

Kyle Oloughlin woke up Thursday afternoon and realized he was late for his probation meeting, he told Boynton Beach, Florida, police.

Upset, Oloughlin yelled at his stepfather, and that’s when 4-year-old pit bull Lilly started barking.

Frustrated by his situation and the dog, he grabbed Lilly up off the ground by her neck and choked her, according to the police report.

Oloughlin, who was arrested Thursday, refused to come to court for his first appearance hearing Friday morning on charges of animal abuse and domestic violence. The 33-year-old will be held without bail at the Palm Beach County Jail until Saturday, when he’s expected back in court.

Oloughlin’s stepfather told police he and someone else in the home on the 100 block of Southeast Fifth Avenue, just south of Boynton Beach Boulevard and west of U.S. 1, told him to let the dog go but he refused. The man said the 100-pound dog was struggling to breathe and making choking noises, according to the report.

When Oloughlin wouldn’t let go of the dog, his stepfather grabbed a metal softball bat and struck Oloughlin twice on his shoulder, police said.

Once he dropped the dog, Oloughlin went after his stepfather and pushed him against a wall. Lilly went to defend the stepfather and bit Oloughlin just as police arrived, according to the report.

Police said the dog didn’t seem to have any injuries, but was “definitely frightened.”

Oloughlin, who has a long history of arrests for domestic batteries but only a few convictions, is serving 12 months of probation for reckless driving and possession of paraphernalia.